RX J185635-3754
| Star | listing of all stars |
RX J185635-3754 (or RXJ185635-375) is a compact star that is either a neutron star or a quark star.
It is believed to have been created by a supernova explosion of its companion star about one milion years ago, and is moving 108 km/s across the sky. It was discovered in 1992, and observations in 1996 appeared to confirm that it was a neutron star, the closest neutron star to Earth yet discovered. The distance was thought to be about 150–200 light years away. However, further observations using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory in 2002 appear to show that its distance is greater (about 450 light years) and that it is too small to be a neutron star, and may therefore in fact be a quark star.
The star lies at right ascension 18h 56m 35.41s, declination −37° 54′ 35.8″ (J2000 epoch).
See also
External links
- Closest Known Neutron Star Races Across Sky (space.com)
- Astrophysics: Is RX J185635-375 a Quark Star?
- APOD: 2002 April 14 - RX J185635-375: Candidate Quark Star